1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a telephony network, and more particularly to systems and methods for invoking an application stored in an intelligence network node of the telephony network.
2. Background of the Invention
The Internet is based on the TCP/IP protocol suite. IP or Internet Protocol specifies the addressing of nodes on the Internet and a method of sending packets of data from one node to another. The TCP or Transmission Control Protocol is an application implemented on top of IP to provide reliable delivery of the data packets. Users of the Internet generally utilize a web browser to locate files using the TCP/IP protocols. A web browser is a program residing on the user's computer that can retrieve and display files, and follow links to other files. A web browser generally supports networking, a graphical user interface, and the ability to execute remote programs. Using a web browser and the TCP/IP protocol, users may specify an address of a file, the URL or Uniform Resource Locator, on the Internet and have the file downloaded to their computer. In addition, a web browser may search for files by key words. The web browser will locate and list the URLs of files which include those key words.
Once a subscriber selects to access a URL address, the web browser retrieves the file specified by that URL address, commonly known as a "web page". Web pages are typically files in HTML (Hypertext mark-up language) format. The HTML file can include hypertext, i.e. embedded links to other files. When the HTML file is downloaded to a user's computer, the user may download other linked files by selecting an icon or other marker for the linked file.
A web browser may also access applications over the Internet. There are three different methods for execution of applications. First, the source code for small applications may be embedded in the HTML file. As the browser reads the HTML file, it formats the text onto the screen. When it finds a tag indicating the source code of a small application embedded within the HTML file, the browser executes the source code of the application. Second, the HTML file of a web page may point to the URL of a CGI (Common Gateway Interface) script. A CGI script is an executable program which runs on a server and processes data sent from an HTML file and returns data to the client in HTML format. To collect data, the HTML file includes form tags, and a collection of related tags to specify various formats for fields of data. A user may enter data in the fields and then submit the "form" to a server designated by a URL in the HTML form tags. Finally, there are special tags in HTML files that point to URL's of applications which reside in servers connected to the Internet. The HTML tags informs the browser where to locate the application and to download and run it. Thus, the application is executed by the user's computer rather than a server.
Often, the executable programs which are downloaded (and those which are embedded within the HTML files) are written in architecture or platform independent languages. Examples of architecture independent languages include the JAVA.TM. technology from Sun MicroSystems, Inc. of Cupertino, Calif., the LIMBO.TM. language from AT&T and somewhat for Windows based platforms, ACTIVE X.TM. technology from Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Washington. Programs written in architecture independent languages may be run on various types of platforms, regardless of hardware or software. For example, if an application is written in JAVASCRIPT.TM., any web browser or computer system that includes a JAVA VIRTUAL MACHINE.TM. may execute the program. The JAVA VIRTUAL MACHINE interprets the JAVA program into code that the platform may execute. Though the JAVA VIRTUAL MACHINE may be different for different platforms, a program written in JAVA may be run by any platform which has a JAVA VIRTUAL MACHINE installed. As a result, the JAVA program, and thus the web page or HTML file, does not need to be platform specific but may be run by any platform, regardless of the underlying operating system or hardware.
Though the Internet provides access to a wide variety of information and applications, the Internet has a plethora of security problems. The HTML files of a web page may sometimes be modified by unauthorized persons. One estimate is that over 60% of web sites have vulnerabilities that allow unauthorized access or file removal. Thus, a user must always be cautious when downloading a file in case the web page has been altered or viruses embedded within the web pages. In addition, companies who have web pages, must monitor their content daily to ensure no unauthorized alterations have occurred. In addition, certain systems are vulnerable to attacks over the Internet. For example, one application of IP called "ping" allows a user to send an IP packet and ask for an acknowledgment. If an oversized ping packet is sent to certain systems, the system will crash when it tries to assemble the packet.
Another disadvantage is that not all persons have access to the Internet. Often, access to the Internet entails paying an Internet Service Provider (ISP) a monthly fee or a fee based on time spent on-line. Even if a person has access, due to traffic overload, it is frequently difficult to log onto the Internet. Moreover, a computer system is expensive and not all households can afford a desktop PC.
Due to the aforementioned security and access problems of the Internet, a need has arisen in the industry to provide information and applications to a client/user through more secure methods and networks.